Algeria: Islamic Party warns against visit of chief rabbi of France 

The visit of the Chief Rabbi of France, Haim Korsia, to Algeria this Thursday as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s delegation is facing opposition, with fears that the North African country will be dragged into normalising relations with Israel through roundabout ways, Al-Quds Al-Arabi has reported.

“There are intense efforts to drag Algeria into normalisation,” said Abderrazak Makri, the head of the Movement of Society for Peace, on Facebook. “After the scandal of the football players who visited [Israel] with their team and insulted their own history… we now have official France pushing further by bringing the chief rabbi who supports [Israel] and denies Palestinian rights. To camouflage the normalisation objective even further, Macron is also bringing the chief of the Paris mosques.”

Makri represents the largest Islamist party in Algeria, and made reference to the four Algerian players who play for OGC Nice football team, who travelled to Tel Aviv for a match in the qualifying stages of a European tournament. They were criticised for breaking the principles that guide Algerian sportsmen and women not to participate in any direct matches with an opponent representing Israel.

“Why is Macron brining the rabbi to Algeria?” asked Makri. “Isn’t France the leader of secularism that fights against any link between religion and politics? Why is France mixing religion with politics on this visit? Or is the French laicite only concerned with combating Islam and restricting Muslim women’s rights to dress in hijab, challenging imams’ discourses, and endorsing racism in employment and restrictions against mosques and other places of worship?”

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The head of the largest opposition group in Algeria’s parliament pointed out that pressure exerted on Algeria by the West — led by France — to surrender will not succeed if the Algerian ranks are united. “If the people who are ready to accept colonialism; the defeated as far as civilisation and culture are concerned; and the agents planted within our political system and society, find any weakness among those who adhere to their faith, the conscious patriots and loyal resistance fighters within our political system and society, they will attack. At that moment they will not consider our values, our sovereignty, our unity and our wealth.”

Makri called on the people of Algeria to be alert, ready, strong and active in defending their homes and values. He also called them to learn from the disappointments of seeing state officials tend towards normalisation, or put their interests before the national interest and values. “The strength of the state is derived from the strength of its society, and the strength of the official position is backed by the strength of the expressed popular position.”

Since the announcement of Rabbi Korsia’s visit as part of the French delegation, questions have been raised about the motives for bringing a religious figure known for his support of Israel in a way that is at odds with the official and popular Algerian position. Algeria rejects all forms of normalisation with the occupation state.